BBC presenter Isa Guha sparks social media backlash after the former England cricketer called star Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah ‘most valuable primate’

BBC presenter Isa Guha has issued a bizarre apology after the former England cricketer called Indian bowler Jasprit Bumrah his team’s ‘most valuable primate’.

Guha, who was part of England’s 2005 and 2009 World Cup teams, said during a Sunday broadcast for Fox Sports in Brisbane, Australia: ‘He’s the MVP, isn’t he? [The] most valuable primate, Jasprit Bumrah.’

The comment sparked outrage on social media due to the word’s history of being used as a racial slur.

Guha issued an apology over her comment today, saying that she had ‘used a word that can be interpreted in a number of different ways’.

‘Firstly, I would like to apologise for any offence caused. I set myself really high standards when it comes to empathy and respect of others,’ she said to open Fox Sports coverage on Monday.

‘If you listen to the full transcript, I only meant the highest praise for one of India’s greatest players. And someone that I admire greatly as well.’

Guha’s parents Barun and Roma emigrated from Calcutta in West Bengal, India to the United Kingdom in the 1970s which means she has Indian heritage, although she was born and raised in the UK. 

‘As someone who is also of south-Asian heritage, I hope people would recognise that there was no other intention or malice there,’ she said. 

‘I’m an advocate for equality and am someone who has spent their career thinking about inclusion and understanding in the game,’ Guha continued.

‘I hope this hasn’t overshadowed what has been a great Test match so far and I look forward to seeing how it progresses. But once again, I am really, really sorry.’ 

Pace bowler Bumrah took five wickets during day two of the third test in Brisbane between Australia and India.

‘In trying to frame the enormity of his achievements, I said the wrong word in the moment. It was a genuine slip up, there was no other intention and I am sorry for any upset caused,’ Guha added on her Instagram story. 

Former India coach Ravi Shastri sat beside Guha for the apology on Fox Sports and applauded her statement before urging people to ‘move on’.

‘First of all, brave woman,’ he said of Guha. ‘To do it on live television and apologise, it takes some steel. You heard it from the horse’s mouth, so as far as I am concerned, game over. We are all human and we are all entitled to make mistakes.

‘In the heat of the moment, like you saw with the Siraj incident with Travis Head [in the Adelaide Test], sometimes when you have the mic in your hand, things can happen.

‘But to own up, put your hand up, and say “I’m sorry”, if things have gone out of place, it takes courage. She has done it, let’s move on.’

The incident occured after the opening hour of play on Sunday, when Guha and Brett Lee stopped to reflect on Bumrah’s excellent series so far, with the 31-year-old having taken 12 wickets in the opening two Tests. 

‘Bumrah, today: five overs, 2-4. So, that’s the tone, and that’s what you want from the ex-skipper,’ Lee had said after Bumrah had dismissed both Usman Khawaja and Nathan McSweeney.

Guha subsequently responded: ‘Well, he’s the MVP, isn’t he? Most valuable primate, Jasprit Bumrah.’

The backlash from Indian supporters has been severe, with Guha’s Instagram account targeted by attacks MailOnline has opted not to publish. Several more have been weeded out by the social media giant’s moderating system.

‘Jasprit bumrah is like our god,’ one fan posted in one of the less savage comments. 

‘You are not a great commentator, Bumrah is the most dangerous bowler of India,’ added another.

There were numerous other comments in the Indian national language Hindi as well. Others have lashed Guha on social media platform X, calling for her to be removed from commentary by Fox Sports or the ICC.

‘Absolutely shocking, Isa Guha calls Jasprit Bumrah ‘primate’ on air. Can you believe it’s 2024 and we are still plagued with that third world / first world mentality,’ Indian lawyer Dhruv Sharma posted.

However the veteran commentator has also received plenty of support, saying she has been ‘misunderstood’.

‘Given Isa Guha is herself a British-Indian whose parents came from Kolkata, hands up who thinks she was being racist to an Indian rather than saying something people misunderstood?’ asked one cricket fan.

Guha took 29 wickets across eight Tests for England’s Women’s side during her 10-year spell with the national side.

After ending her international career in 2011 she’d go on to pursue a career in broadcasting, joining up with ITV in 2012 for their coverage of the Indian Premier League.

The moment has been going viral online, with The Times of India comparing it to the ‘Monkeygate’ scandal during the 2007-2008 Border-Gavaskar Series.

It came after Andrew Symonds alleged India star Harbhajan Singh to have called him a ‘monkey’ during the second Test at the Sydney Cricket Ground.

Harbhajan was handed a three-match ban but denied any racist language.

He was later cleared and had the ban rescinded following an appeal before a New Zealand High Court judge.

The pair would later shake hands when they shared a dressing room while playing in the IPL in 2011.